Man involved in fatal crash on Rte 115 discharged from hospital

Monday

Mar 7, 2011 at 7:20 AMMar 7, 2011 at 7:35 AM

Benjamin Farrell, 26, of Blakeslee, the motorist police said caused the crash that killed a 29-year-old mother of three Thursday in Chestnuthill Township, has been discharged from Pocono Medical Center, according to hospital personnel.

Theresa Ricciradi-Garcia of Effort was killed while Farrell was taken to PMC and placed in intensive care. Farrell has not been charged.

Farrell was turning onto Route 115 South from Mountain View Estates in Tunkhannock Township when a Pocono Mountain Regional Police car heading north on 115 passed him and saw the expired inspection sticker on his pickup, state police said.

The officer did a U-turn, but police at no time were actively pursuing Farrell, state police said.

Farrell illegally went into the northbound lane to pass a vehicle in front of him and hit Ricciardi-Garcia's car head-on. He later told police he wasn't sure the officer was going to come after him, but that he wanted to get out of there anyway, state police said.

Any witnesses to the crash are asked to call state police at 570-646-2271.